When Kutelani Sitholimela, a resident from Nzhelele Mauluma, is not busy protecting the country, he tries to make sure that it does not run out of food. The 32-year-old Private (Pte) works as a logistics clerk at Air Force Base Makhado's Health Centre in Tshikwani. Only one thing he is as passionate about as serving his country, and that is farming.
Sitholimela joined the defence force in June of 2010 and started farming from his backyard in 2014. Today, he co-owns a six-hectare farm with his wife, Khavhatondwi Mathiloli, who is an office manager at HTE Construction. Together, they plant cabbages and other seasonal crops, while also tending more than 400 egg-laying chickens. He describes Khavhatondwi as his source of strength and inspiration. "My wife always finds the time and energy to help me with the farming. We work as a team," he said.
Sitholimela takes a lot of pride in the farming enterprise. One might say that he inherited his farming skills, which have been carried over for generations in his family. "I grew up in a family where farming put food on the table. My father and grandparents, and their parents before them, were all crop and animal farmers," he said.
The military man said that he is 100% in love with farming. "I didn't get enough time to study agriculture and expand my knowledge; something I regret today as it prevented me from taking part in farming activities, such as skills development, farmer's support from departments, farming competitions and attending additional lectures on agriculture."
In spite of this, they have managed to create a source of income for many other people too, especially the women who buy and resell eggs around the western area and Louis Trichardt. "Our plan currently is to have even more chickens, so that we can continue to distribute more eggs and help feed more families," he said.